Everything you need to know about the SONOR Designer drum series!

[Frank Godiva]

ST Drums explains all the details about Sonors famous Designer series.

The Designer was Sonor flagship drumset from 1994 till 2006 and is still considered one of the best drums of all times.

Interesting fact; with the introduction of the Designer Series Sonor stopped making beech drums. They did reintroduce beech as a shell option in the last years of the run.

https://youtu.be/t2fFJoIdTYE

[SonorBart]

That's very well done, except his pronunciation of "series" sounds like "serious."

[storsav]

Always loved Designers. I wish there were a 3D printed alternative to the black plastic tune safes that looked Designer appropriate (style and all)...maybe just use 1/4 20 round wing screws?

[Scott_M]

When Sonor introduced the Beech shell at the tail end of the run, they apparently did not make any badges specifying they were Beech (unlike the Birch and Maple badges).

They had *just* made the beech shells available right before I ordered mine, and due to a misguided concern about potential resale value for the kit (due to the shells being mislabeled), I opted to go with Birch instead. Was always impressed with the kit I had, but there was always that "What If?" in the back of my mind.

Does make me wonder how many Designer kits they actually made in Beech...

[_spelman_]

When Sonor introduced the Beech shell at the tail end of the run, they apparently did not make any badges specifying they were Beech (unlike the Birch and Maple badges).

They had *just* made the beech shells available right before I ordered mine, and due to a misguided concern about potential resale value for the kit (due to the shells being mislabeled), I opted to go with Birch instead. Was always impressed with the kit I had, but there was always that "What If?" in the back of my mind.

Does make me wonder how many Designer kits they actually made in Beech...

I've read that as well. Also there were no "Vintage Maple" Designer badges, they used the "Maple Light" badges for those. (You could order Designers
with Vintage Maple shells when the Delites were introduced).

[Hazelwood7]

Scott_M,

I wish I had access to the old Sonor Museum forum to see what people were saying around that 2003 timeline about those drums but here’s what I think happened. The only price list/catalog to have it show up was the HSS Price list from July 2003. In April 2004 the option was gone and replaced by the Vintage Maole shells. So if he take it by the price list this was a USA only option and only for 9 months. There is no mention of it in any German price lists or catalogs at that time. I don’t know how long in that 9 month period you could actually order them. So they would be very rare. There may be a few more it there because they had the maple light badge on them. Some people could have sold it over the years and thought they were maple and mislabeled because I have never seen a beech designer set ever come up for sale.

I remember in the early 2000’s on RMMP Usenet it was discussed with Sonor and Sonor said they would never make beech shells again. The forum members kept bugging them. I think they caved and made it available. I check out the archives and that was what they did. Although no further posts about it when they were released about it. I can’t check the Sonor Museum posts or the old version of the drum forum message board to see what people were saying but I think it was mention by Rev on the Sonor Museum board.
Chris

[tcbetka]

Scott_M,

I wish I had access to the old Sonor Museum forum to see what people were saying around that 2003 timeline about those drums but here’s what I think happened. The only price list/catalog to have it show up was the HSS Price list from July 2003. In April 2004 the option was gone and replaced by the Vintage Maole shells. So if he take it by the price list this was a USA only option and only for 9 months. There is no mention of it in any German price lists or catalogs at that time. I don’t know how long in that 9 month period you could actually order them. So they would be very rare. There may be a few more it there because they had the maple light badge on them. Some people could have sold it over the years and thought they were maple and mislabeled because I have never seen a beech designer set ever come up for sale.

I remember in the early 2000’s on RMMP Usenet it was discussed with Sonor and Sonor said they would never make beech shells again. The forum members kept bugging them. I think they caved and made it available. I check out the archives and that was what they did. Although no further posts about it when they were released about it. I can’t check the Sonor Museum posts or the old version of the drum forum message board to see what people were saying but I think it was mention by Rev on the Sonor Museum board.
Chris

You were on RMMP back then?!? I started in that group while I was still in medical school...about 1996 or so. Nowdays though I'm just a gigless choad, but still go over to Google Groups and read through old RMMP threads.

[Hazelwood7]

Rob was one of the strangest dudes I have ever spoken with. When I would comment on his posts, I stated in college, in like 96 or 97, my college had the internet through an Ethernet cable I learned so much. I have always been a big Gretsch fan at that time and Rob had his problems with Gretsch. He like both Gretsch and Sonor but really disliked the management especially at Gretsch. I would defend Gretsch and I think he told me via post that I was a chod. Luckily he never told me to eat a gum like he did with other people he battled with. But we bought and sold things off of each other and was always nine on the phone and love talking on the phone about drums, and gigs. I was shocked when I saw a video of him playing drums. What an amazing jazz player! I owned one of his hard bop snares and they were great for the money. But online he was at times a bully. When I agreed with him, we were ok and when I didn’t he would through me an insult. He got thrown off other forums but no one got thrown off of RMMP. I miss it for the wild wild west atmosphere and how much I learned from really great people. I also learned a lot from Rob on those long phone calls. I appreciated all the help as the older experienced guys, had patience for a young college kid like me at the time.

[Hazelwood7]

I should also come clean and tell everyone that I am the now the proud owner of a beech designer kit. It’s a 10 12 14 16 22 and a 6.5x 14 snare in fake bubimga wood. The date on the shells are December 2023. Yes they are beech shells and yes you can instantly tell on the inside that they are beech shells with the maple lite badges. I need to clean them and rehead the kit but I am happy to finally own this kit. I have had 3 maple lite kits in the past and they all sounded amazing and I can’t wait to hear the beech 6.7mm shells.

[tcbetka]

Rob was one of the strangest dudes I have ever spoken with. When I would comment on his posts, I stated in college, in like 96 or 97, my college had the internet through an Ethernet cable I learned so much. I have always been a big Gretsch fan at that time and Rob had his problems with Gretsch. He like both Gretsch and Sonor but really disliked the management especially at Gretsch. I would defend Gretsch and I think he told me via post that I was a chod. Luckily he never told me to eat a gum like he did with other people he battled with. But we bought and sold things off of each other and was always nine on the phone and love talking on the phone about drums, and gigs. I was shocked when I saw a video of him playing drums. What an amazing jazz player! I owned one of his hard bop snares and they were great for the money. But online he was at times a bully. When I agreed with him, we were ok and when I didn’t he would through me an insult. He got thrown off other forums but no one got thrown off of RMMP. I miss it for the wild wild west atmosphere and how much I learned from really great people. I also learned a lot from Rob on those long phone calls. I appreciated all the help as the older experienced guys, had patience for a young college kid like me at the time.

Actually, Rob and I became quite good friends believe it or not. Never met him in person, but we used to talk on the phone quite often. By the time I got to know him well I was in my last year of medical school, and then going into residency our conversations continued. He was trying to learn as much as possible about the course of his kidney disease, and to be honest he knew more about the kidney than I did at the time. He was a very intelligent fellow--if you could get past his outer shell. I got to know his girlfriend as well, I think her name was Yvette? It's been over 20 years now since I talked to her, but I did talk to her once or twice after he died. She was needing to sell some of his gear, and I helped her with the pricing a bit.

Do you recall what year he died? It's been so long that I just don't remember anymore. Also, are you in the RMMP group on Facebook?